1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a retrofittable toilet seat sanitary protector changer for use with a conventional toilet bowl, and, more particularly, to a toilet seat sanitary protector changer utilizing a prestressed continuous torque spring motor for providing constant tension on a continuous strip of sanitary toilet seat protectors.
2. Description of the Related Art
The fear of disease or disgust from contact with dirty or soiled public toilet seats is well known. The risk of disease and other unpleasant experiences is most common when utilizing toilets in public facilities, such as office buildings, and in remote areas like parks or camping facilities. Various attempts have been made to protect users from coming into contact with contaminated seats. One simple method is to utilize strips of toilet paper which are placed on the seat during use. This is in itself awkward and unsanitary.
More recently, individual sanitary protectors or covers in the shape of the toilet ring have been supplied in dispensers affixed to the wall of a booth. While relatively easy to position the cover over the seat, these covers are subject to slippage. Additionally, the covers are often flushed down the toilet after use. Since the covers are typically formed of a relatively tough, protective, sanitary material, they are prone to clogging the system.
In some instances, sanitary toilet seat covers have been provided as a continuous strip of covers interspersed with openings configured to approximate the opening of the toilet seat bowl and wound upon a roll. One particular disclosure of a dispenser for such covers is in U.S. Pat. No. 2,175,553 to Altiery. The Altiery device uses an enlarged metal cabinet with a hole at its top. The cabinet is configured to be positioned entirely over the existing toilet bowl. A first supply spool is affixed within the cabinet and contains a continuous strip of toilet seat protective covers which are extended over the existing toilet seat and are taken up on a second spool also affixed within the cabinet. The Altiery device includes a spring motor having a coil spring positioned therein and attached to the rear wall of the cabinet for driving the second or takeup spool.
While the Altiery device provides the advantages of having a continuous strip of protective covers extending out of one supply and across the seat and into a second supply, the Altiery device does have numerous disadvantages. By utilizing a coil-type spring, which inherently decreases in torque or tensioning force as it is unwound, the amount of torque or tension to pull the toilet seat covers across the toilet seat rapidly decreases thereby limiting the length of the strip and amount of toilet seat covers that may be provided within the unit. This is of particular disadvantage when the unit is used in remote areas such as public camping facilities wherein daily maintenance to replace the covers is not routine.
Additionally, the size and shape of the metal cabinet, which must completely surround the existing toilet bowl, drastically limits the number of units that may be accommodated in any particular area. Furthermore, by affixing the supply and takeup spools to a metal cabinet which is placed about the toilet bowl such that the strip of protectors runs over the toilet seat, it is impossible to raise the toilet seat for the use and convenience of male users without tearing or interrupting the continuous strip of covers.
Therefore, there exists a need for a convenient retrofittable toilet seat sanitary protective changer which may be powered by a source having sufficient energy to provide tension on a relatively long strip of covers for an extended period of time and number of revolutions of a spool.
Furthermore, there exists a need for a compact toilet seat protective cover changer which may be easily retrofitted to an existing toilet bowl and which may be raised up as an entire unit for the convenience of male users so as to avoid the disruption of the continuous strip of protective covers.
There is disclosed a toilet seat sanitary protector changer for use with an existing toilet bowl. The changer generally includes a toilet seat having a supply assembly positioned on one side and takeup assembly positioned on the opposite side. The supply assembly generally includes a housing affixed to or integral with the seat. The housing is configured to receive a roll of a continuous strip of protective covers wound about a core. The takeup assembly also includes a housing affixed to or integral with the toilet seat and further includes an elongated takeup rod rotatably mounted within the housing and having a slot for receipt of a leading edge of the strip of protective covers.
A prestressed spring motor is provided for engagement with the takeup rod so as to provide a constant or substantially constant torque on the takeup rod over a predetermined number of turns of the rod. Preferably, a multiplier gear is interspersed between the spring motor and the takeup rod so as to multiply the number of turns of the takeup rod relative to the spring motor. Preferably, approximately 15 to 50 turns of the spring motor will result in 400-500 turns of the takeup rod.
The supply assembly preferably includes a braking mechanism for restraining rotation of the roll of protective covers within the supply assembly. Alternatively, the braking mechanism may be located on the takeup side or other location so long as it is activated when the protective covers are properly indexed over the seat. The braking mechanism generally includes a brake which is engageable with an end of the roll or the core and a sensor finger which, in conjunction with apertures in the sheet of protective covers, engages the brake with the roll when an aperture in the sheet is properly positioned over the opening in the toilet seat. A pushbutton or release mechanism is provided to override the brake and allow the user to advance the roll of protective covers so as to provide a fresh cover for the next user.
The toilet seat may be formed as a continuous ring. In a preferred embodiment, the toilet seat may be formed as a discontinuous ring with an opening in the forward end so as to comply with various health codes. The seat is provided with a hinge assembly having a pair of mounting holes for movably mounting the seat to an existing toilet bowl. This toilet seat, supply assembly and takeup assembly, as an entire unit, may be moved from a position adjacent the toilet bowl to a position spaced apart from the toilet bowl to facilitate use by male users.
Further, the supply and takeup assemblies may be separately fitted to an existing toilet bowl seat.